Othello Read online

  IAGO

  Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it,

  That he would steal away so guiltylike,

  Seeing your coming.

  OTHELLO I do believe 'twas he.

  DESDEMONA

  How now, my lord?

  I have been talking with a suitor here,

  A man that languishes in your displeasure.

  OTHELLO

  Who is't you mean?

  DESDEMONA

  Why, your lieutenant, Cassio. Good my lord,

  If I have any grace or power to move you,

  His present reconciliation take. 47 His . . . take immediately restore him to your good graces

  For if he be not one that truly loves you,

  That errs in ignorance, and not in cunning,

  I have no judgment in an honest face.

  I prithee call him back.

  OTHELLO Went he hence now?

  DESDEMONA

  Yes, faith; so humbled

  That he hath left part of his grief with me

  To suffer with him. Good love, call him back.

  OTHELLO

  Not now, sweet Desdemon; some other time.

  DESDEMONA

  But shall't be shortly?

  OTHELLO The sooner, sweet, for you.

  DESDEMONA

  Shall't be tonight at supper?

  OTHELLO No, not tonight.

  DESDEMONA

  Tomorrow dinner then?

  OTHELLO I shall not dine at home; I meet the captains at the citadel.

  DESDEMONA

  Why then, tomorrow night, on Tuesday morn,

  On Tuesday noon or night, on Wednesday morn.

  I prithee name the time, but let it not

  Exceed three days. In faith, he's penitent;

  And yet his trespass, in our common reason

  (Save that they say the wars must make example

  Out of her best), is not almost a fault

  T' incur a private check. When shall he come?

  Tell me, Othello. I wonder in my soul

  What you would ask me that I should deny

  Or stand so mamm'ring on. What? Michael Cassio, 64 in . . . reason i.e., looked at by normal standards 66 not almost scarcely 67 a private check even a private reprimand 70 mamm'ring on hesitating about or perhaps stuttering

  That came a-wooing with you, and so many a time,

  When I have spoke of you dispraisingly,

  Hath ta'en your part - to have so much to do

  To bring him in? By'r Lady, I could do much -

  OTHELLO

  Prithee no more. Let him come when he will!

  I will deny thee nothing.

  DESDEMONA Why, this is not a boon;

  'Tis as I should entreat you wear your gloves,

  Or feed on nourishing dishes, or keep you warm,

  Or sue to you to do a peculiar profit

  To your own person. Nay, when I have a suit

  Wherein I mean to touch your love indeed,

  It shall be full of poise and difficult weight,

  And fearful to be granted.

  OTHELLO I will deny thee nothing!

  Whereon I do beseech thee grant me this,

  To leave me but a little to myself.

  DESDEMONA

  Shall I deny you? No. Farewell, my lord.

  OTHELLO

  Farewell, my Desdemona: I'll come to thee straight.

  DESDEMONA

  Emilia, come. - Be as your fancies teach you;

  Whate'er you be, I am obedient. Exit [with Emilia].

  OTHELLO

  Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul

  But I do love thee! and when I love thee not,

  Chaos is come again.

  IAGO

  My noble lord -

  74 bring him in i.e., into your favor 76 boon personal favor (i.e., I'm not asking you to do something for me, but rather for your own good) 79 peculiar particular, special 81 touch test 82-83 full . . . granted i.e., something hard to agree to 88 as . . . you i.e., as your whims suggest 90 wretch (a term of affection, but the opposite is also current in the period) 90-91 Perdition . . . thee i.e., I'll be damned if I don't love you

  OTHELLO What dost thou say, Iago?

  IAGO

  Did Michael Cassio, when you wooed my lady,

  Know of your love?

  OTHELLO

  He did, from first to last. Why dost thou ask?

  IAGO

  But for a satisfaction of my thought;

  No further harm.

  OTHELLO Why of thy thought, Iago?

  IAGO

  I did not think he had been acquainted with her.

  OTHELLO

  O, yes, and went between us very oft.

  IAGO

  Indeed?

  OTHELLO

  Indeed? Ay, indeed! Discern'st thou aught in that?

  Is he not honest?

  IAGO Honest, my lord?

  OTHELLO Honest. Ay, honest.

  IAGO

  My lord, for aught I know.

  OTHELLO

  What dost thou think?

  IAGO Think, my lord?

  OTHELLO Think, my lord?

  By heaven, thou echo'st me

  As if there were some monster in thy thought

  Too hideous to be shown. Thou dost mean something:

  I heard thee say even now, thou lik'st not that,

  When Cassio left my wife. What didst not like?

  And when I told thee he was of my counsel

  In my whole course of wooing, thou cried'st "Indeed?" 100 went between us i.e., served as a go-between 111 of my counsel my confidant (i.e., knew my plans)

  And didst contract and purse thy brow together,

  As if thou then hadst shut up in thy brain

  Some horrible conceit. If thou dost love me,

  Show me thy thought.

  IAGO

  My lord, you know I love you.

  OTHELLO I think thou dost,

  And, for I know thou'rt full of love and honesty

  And weigh'st thy words before thou giv'st them breath,

  Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more.

  For such things in a false disloyal knave

  Are tricks of custom, but in a man that's just

  They're close dilations, working from the heart

  That passion cannot rule.

  IAGO For Michael Cassio,

  I dare be sworn I think that he is honest.

  OTHELLO

  I think so too.

  IAGO Men should be what they seem;

  Or those that be not, would they might seem none!

  OTHELLO

  Certain, men should be what they seem.

  IAGO

  Why then, I think Cassio's an honest man.

  OTHELLO

  Nay, yet there's more in this.

  I prithee speak to me as to thy thinkings,

  As thou dost ruminate, and give thy worst of thoughts

  The worst of words.

  IAGO Good my lord, pardon me:

  Though I am bound to every act of duty,

  I am not bound to that. All slaves are free - 115 conceit fancy or idea (Italian concetto, concept) 120 stops hesitations, refusals 122 tricks of custom tricks of the trade; just honest, good 123 close dilations secret swellings ("dilate"=expand) of emotion that can't be controlled 127 seem none i.e., not pretend to be men but be instead the monsters that they are

  Utter my thoughts? Why, say they are vile and false,

  As where's that palace whereinto foul things

  Sometimes intrude not? Who has that breast so pure

  But some uncleanly apprehensions

  Keep leets and law days, and in sessions sit

  With meditations lawful?

  OTHELLO

  Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago,

  If thou but think'st him wronged, and mak'st his ear

  A stranger to thy thoughts.

  IAGO I do beseech you
-

  Though I perchance am vicious in my guess

  (As I confess it is my nature's plague

  To spy into abuses, and oft my jealousy

  Shapes faults that are not) - that your wisdom

  From one that so imperfectly conceits

  Would take no notice, nor build yourself a trouble

  Out of his scattering and unsure observance.

  It were not for your quiet nor your good,

  Nor for my manhood, honesty, and wisdom,

  To let you know my thoughts.

  OTHELLO What dost thou mean?

  IAGO

  Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,

  Is the immediate jewel of their souls.

  Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;

  'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands.

  But he that filches from me my good name

  Robs me of that which not enriches him

  And makes me poor indeed. 139-41 uncleanly apprehensions . . . lawful i.e., evil thoughts that do legal business (leets=courts) alongside honorable ideas 147 jealousy suspicion 148 your wisdom i.e., you 149-50 From one . . . notice i.e., wouldn't pay any attention to me, who unreliably conjectures about things 151 scattering . . . observance random and unfounded observations 156 immediate in-most

  OTHELLO

  By heaven, I'll know thy thoughts!

  IAGO

  You cannot, if my heart were in your hand,

  Nor shall not whilst 'tis in my custody.

  OTHELLO

  Ha!

  IAGO O, beware, my lord, of jealousy!

  It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock

  The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss

  Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger;

  But O, what damned minutes tells he o'er

  Who dotes, yet doubts - suspects, yet soundly loves!

  OTHELLO

  O misery!

  IAGO

  Poor and content is rich, and rich enough;

  But riches fineless is as poor as winter

  To him that ever fears he shall be poor.

  Good God, the souls of all my tribe defend

  From jealousy!

  OTHELLO Why, why is this?

  Think'st thou I'd make a life of jealousy,

  To follow still the changes of the moon

  With fresh suspicions? No! To be once in doubt

  Is once to be resolved. Exchange me for a goat

  When I shall turn the business of my soul

  To such exsufflicate and blowed surmises,

  Matching thy inference. 'Tis not to make me jealous

  To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,

  Is free of speech, sings, plays, and dances; 166-67 doth mock . . . on toys with the prey it is about to consume 167-68 cuckold . . . wronger i.e., a wronged husband doesn't resent an adulterous wife if he doesn't love her 169 tells counts 170 dotes loves dotingly; soundly profoundly 173 fineless unlimited 178 still always 180 resolved determined to act 182 exsufflicate and blowed surmises (1) spat out and flyblown (i.e., disgusting) speculations, (2) inflated and blown abroad (rumored) notions

  Where virtue is, these are more virtuous.

  Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw

  The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt,

  For she had eyes, and chose me. No, Iago;

  I'll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;

  And on the proof there is no more but this -

  Away at once with love or jealousy!

  IAGO

  I am glad of this; for now I shall have reason

  To show the love and duty that I bear you

  With franker spirit. Therefore, as I am bound,

  Receive it from me. I speak not yet of proof.

  Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio;

  Wear your eyes thus, not jealous nor secure.

  I would not have your free and noble nature,

  Out of self-bounty, be abused. Look to't.

  I know our country disposition well:

  In Venice they do let God see the pranks

  They dare not show their husbands; their best conscience

  Is not to leave't undone, but keep't unknown.

  OTHELLO

  Dost thou say so?

  IAGO

  She did deceive her father, marrying you;

  And when she seemed to shake and fear your looks,

  She loved them most.

  OTHELLO And so she did.

  IAGO Why, go to then!

  She that, so young, could give out such a seeming

  To seel her father's eyes up close as oak - 188 revolt turning away (i.e., infidelity) 195 franker more candid 198 secure overconfident 200 self-bounty i.e., your own natural generosity 201 our country disposition i.e., the secret habits of Venetian women (indicated in ll. 202-4) 210 seel . . . up shut; as oak (referring to the close grain of oak - i.e., completely opaque)

  He thought 'twas witchcraft - but I am much to blame.

  I humbly do beseech you of your pardon

  For too much loving you.

  OTHELLO I am bound to thee forever.

  IAGO

  I see this hath a little dashed your spirits.

  OTHELLO

  Not a jot, not a jot.

  IAGO I' faith, I fear it has.

  I hope you will consider what is spoke

  Comes from my love. But I do see you're moved.

  I am to pray you not to strain my speech

  To grosser issues nor to larger reach

  Than to suspicion.

  OTHELLO

  I will not.

  IAGO Should you do so, my lord,

  My speech should fall into such vile success

  Which my thoughts aimed not. Cassio's my worthy

  friend -

  My lord, I see you're moved.

  OTHELLO No, not much moved:

  I do not think but Desdemona's honest.

  IAGO

  Long live she so! and long live you to think so!

  OTHELLO

  And yet, how nature erring from itself -

  IAGO

  Ay, there's the point! as (to be bold with you)

  Not to affect many proposed matches

  Of her own clime, complexion, and degree,

  Whereto we see in all things nature tends - 217 moved upset 218-19 strain . . . issues constrain me to speak of potentially ugly outcomes 222 vile success evil result 225 honest (primarily

  "chaste," but with the suggestion of "honorable") 229-30 affect . . . degree

  care for proposed husbands from her own background

  Foh! one may smell in such a will most rank,

  Foul disproportions, thoughts unnatural -

  But pardon me - I do not in position

  Distinctly speak of her; though I may fear

  Her will, recoiling to her better judgment,

  May fall to match you with her country forms,

  And happily repent.

  OTHELLO Farewell, farewell!

  If more thou dost perceive, let me know more.

  Set on thy wife to observe. Leave me, Iago.

  IAGO [Going]

  My lord, I take my leave.

  OTHELLO

  Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless

  Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.

  IAGO [Returning]

  My lord, I would I might entreat your honor

  To scan this thing no farther: leave it to time.

  Although 'tis fit that Cassio have his place,

  For sure he fills it up with great ability,

  Yet, if you please to hold him off awhile,

  You shall by that perceive him and his means.

  Note if your lady strain his entertainment

  With any strong or vehement importunity;

  Much will be seen in that. In the meantime

  Let me be thought too busy in my
fears

  (As worthy cause I have to fear I am)

  And hold her free, I do beseech your honor. 232 Foh (expression of disgust); in such i.e., in such a headstrong woman; will sexual appetite (as elsewhere) 233 disproportions lack of balance 234 in position i.e., in proposing this characterization 236 recoiling yielding 237 fall . . . forms i.e., happen to compare you with the Venetian men 238 happily perhaps 240 Set on instruct, arrange for 244 entreat your honor request you 245 scan inspect, consider 250 strain his entertainment i.e., insists on discussing his treatment 251 importunity begging, pressure 253 too busy i.e., too meddlesome 254 worthy cause good reason 255 hold her free consider her innocent

  OTHELLO

  Fear not my government.

  IAGO

  I once more take my leave. Exit.

  OTHELLO

  This fellow's of exceeding honesty,

  And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit

  Of human dealings. If I do prove her haggard,

  Though that her jesses were my dear heartstrings,

  I'd whistle her off and let her down the wind

  To prey at fortune. Haply, for I am black

  And have not those soft parts of conversation

  That chamberers have, or for I am declined

  Into the vale of years - yet that's not much -

  She's gone. I am abused, and my relief

  Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage,

  That we can call these delicate creatures ours,

  And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad

  And live upon the vapor of a dungeon

  Than keep a corner in the thing I love

  For others' uses. Yet 'tis the plague of great ones;

  Prerogatived are they less than the base.

  'Tis destiny unshunnable, like death.

  Even then this forked plague is fated to us

  When we do quicken. Look where she comes.

  Enter Desdemona and Emilia.

  If she be false, O, then heaven mocks itself!

  I'll not believe't. 256 government behavior, self-control 259 qualities natures; a learned spirit an informed understanding 260 haggard a wild hawk (beginning a metaphor of Desdemona as an uncontrolled bird) 261 her jesses the leather straps for controlling the hawk 262-63 whistle . . . fortune i.e., send her away and let her take care of herself 263 Haply perhaps 264 soft . . . conversation refined manners 265 chamberers courtiers 273 great ones prominent people 274 Prerogatived privileged; the base i.e., those of the lower

  class 276 forked plague curse of being a cuckold (i.e., with horns on the

  forehead) 277 do quicken are born

  DESDEMONA How now, my dear Othello?

  Your dinner, and the generous islanders

  By you invited, do attend your presence.

  OTHELLO

  I am to blame.

  DESDEMONA Why do you speak so faintly?

  Are you not well?

  OTHELLO

  I have a pain upon my forehead, here.

  DESDEMONA

  Faith, that's with watching; 'twill away again.

  Let me but bind it hard, within this hour

  It will be well.

  OTHELLO Your napkin is too little;

  [He pushes the handkerchief from him, and it falls

  unnoticed.]